The World This Hour - The World This Hour for 2025/01/28 at 14:00 EST

Episode Date: January 28, 2025

The World This Hour for 2025/01/28 at 14:00 EST

When a body is discovered 10 miles out to sea, it sparks a mind-blowing police investigation. There's a man living in this address in the name of a deceased. He's one of the most wanted men in the world. This isn't really happening. Officers are finding large sums of money. It's a tale of murder, skullduggery and international intrigue. So who really is he? I'm Sam Mullins and this is Sea of Lies from CBC's Uncovered, available now.

From CBC News, the world this hour. I'm Tom Harrington. Marie-Josée Ugg has tabled her final report into foreign interference in the last two federal elections. The inquiry's Commissioner found no evidence of traitors in Parliament. She says Canada's democracy has held up against attempted meddling. But Hogue also found shortcomings in investigating interference.

The government sometimes took too long to act and coordination was not always optimal. Certain documents never got to where they were supposed to go and there seems to be no good reason why. I found that the government has been overall a poor communicator when it comes to foreign interference. Just before UG's news conference, Ottawa announced new measures to combat potential meddling. They include 44 million dollars to give the chief electoral officer more resources to investigate interference and disinformation. In addition, more than $27 million goes to Canadian heritage for projects to show Canadians how to combat online disinformation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is wrapping up his visit to Poland, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. He's warning about rising levels of hate and anti-Semitism. Tom Perry is there. The tools that AI and social media are bringing to bear on populations as ways of creating more anger. Trudeau stressed the need to challenge messages of hate, but when asked about recent incidents involving billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, Trudeau was more circumspect. Musk, who is a close confidant of US President Donald Trump, was photographed offering what looked to some like a Nazi salute, something Musk denies. Musk later appeared via video link at a conference of Alternative for Germany, or AFD, a far-right

political party. He told party supporters Germany was too focused on its past guilt, an apparent reference to its Nazi era. Trudeau didn't mention Musk or AFD and spoke instead about democracies being influenced by messages of division. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was more direct, calling the rise of AFD in Germany an exceptionally dangerous trend. Tom Perry, CBC News, Warsaw. Ontario's Premier will soon be visiting the province's Lieutenant Governor. Doug Ford will ask Edith Dumont to dissolve the provincial parliament and kick off a snap election campaign.

The fixed election date isn't for another 15 months, but Ford claims one is needed now because of the uncertainty sparked by those Donald Trump tariffs. This isn't going to happen overnight. It may not happen February 1st. I'm sure something's coming. But this is going to be a battle for the next four years. And I want to make sure that I have a strong mandate to outlast President Trump. Ontarians are expected to vote in late February. Opposition parties call this election a waste of time and money. It is the biggest

celebrity scandal in Hollywood right now. Actors Blake Lively and just Justin Baldoni have each filed conflicting lawsuits. She accuses him of sexual harassment. He says she defamed him. There is a trial to deal with both next year, but the Court of Public Op public opinion is already in session. Eli Glasner has more I want to start with an apology as first shared by the website TMZ a voicemail reportedly left for actor Blake Lively from Justin Baldoni the two co-starred in the 2024 summer smash it ends with us which Baldoni also directed. I want to see you again. Now you see me.

The voicemail where Baldoni compliments Lively for suggested script changes is the latest detail to emerge in a legal battle between the Hollywood stars. It began in December when Lively filed a civil rights complaint and later a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and suggesting he hired a firm to turn public opinion against her. Baldoni responded by suing Lively and husband, Canadian Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and extortion, seeking over $400 million. A trial that will combine the rival lawsuits is now scheduled for March 2026. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for next month to address claims Baldoni's lawyers are trying to influence jurors by releasing communications between Lively and Baldoni. Eli Glasner, CBC News, Toronto.

And that is Your World This Hour. For CBC News, I'm Tom Harrington. Thanks for listening.